Our Flour

Nothing added. Nothing taken away.

Woodbridge Tide Mill

Wholemeal Stoneground Strong Flour

Our Tide Mill is a 220 year old mill using traditional craft methods using the power of the tide. It was the last commercial working tide mill in England when it closed in 1957, and it is now one of only two tide mills in the country producing stoneground wholemeal flour again. The wheat we use is locally grown in East Anglia, and locally milled in Woodbridge, Suffolk.

We avoid aggressive production methods, and run our grinding stones slowly and coolly. The whole grain is used, including the husk (or bran) and the wheatgerm, and we are exempt from regulations which require most modern mills to artificially add back certain nutrients to their plain white or brown flour. There are no improving agents, preservatives, enzymes, and other additives.

We use a red wheat variety, such as AC Barrie and AC Infinity. The strength of red wheat is in the protein and the quality of the protein. Red wheat is a full 3% to 4% higher in protein than Class 1. The strength and elasticity of the protein (called gluten) is superior. This means it can trap more gas in bubbles in the bread created by yeast during fermentation and also allow the bubbles to expand further, making the loaf larger.

The flour is available in two grades:

Fine – similar to a plain flour, but wholemeal, and suitable for most baking purposes – bread; savoury pastry; pizza bases; biscuits; and slightly denser cakes.

Traditional – slightly coarser texture with identifiable (small) pieces of bran – ideal for bread and other bakery products with a little bite.

Nothing added, nothing taken away. Just the natural grain that has been a staple of mankind’s diet for at least 10,000 years .

By buying our flour you will be assisting a not for profit charity dedicated to sustaining one of only two working tide mills left in the UK.

Woodbridge stands on the A12, the road that links London and Lowestoft and on the rail that links Ipswich with Lowestoft. From either direction follow signs to Woodbridge and take any entrance into the town. The Tide Mill is by the river and accessible from several car parks.